NIAR Sees Expanded Role in Aviation

Composites make up an increasing percentage of modern aircraft, and a decision by Boeing to proceed with the 7E7 is likely to accelerate that trend. The National Institute for Aviation Research is at the forefront of composites research for aviation, and is likely to benefit from the increased use of composites in aircraft. "A lot of future aircraft are composites," says NIAR interim executive director John Tomblin. "The future of aviation will have a lot of materials research involved."